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Backus Family History

Backus Surname Meaning

English (Leicestershire): from Middle English bak(e)hous ‘bakehouse’ (Old English bæchūs) hence a topographic name for someone who lived or worked in a bakery. Dutch: in Limburg province a shortened variant of Bakhuis, Dutch form of German Backhaus.

Americanized form of German Backhaus. Lithuanian (Bačkus): from bačka ‘barrel, cask’ hence either a nickname for a short fat man or an occupational name for a cooper.

The surname Bačkus is very rare in Lithuania.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Backus family from?

You can see how Backus families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Backus family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Backus families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 5 Backus families living in Lancashire. This was about 28% of all the recorded Backus's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Backus families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Backus surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Backus ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Backus. 75% of Backus women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Backus | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Private Means
    13%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    13%

What Backus family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 37,000 census records available for the last name Backus. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Backus census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Backus

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Backus. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Backus immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Backus. For the veterans among your Backus ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Backus military records

You've only scratched the surface of Backus family history

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What is the average Backus lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Backus life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Backus in 1944 was 34, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Backus

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Backus ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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